Top-spinning pistol.



No. 832,960. PATENTBD OCT. 9, 1906.

J. W. ELBRA. v TOP SPINNING PISTOL.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 31, 1906.

ATTORNEYS THE NORRIS PETERS co., wasunvcrau, 0. c4

' UNITED STATES PATENT oEEr oE.

JOHN WILLIAM ELBRA,

OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN WILLIAM HENOKE, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

TOP-SPINNING PISTOL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 9, 1906.

Application filed May 31, 1906. Serial No. 319.518.

' spinning pistols designed to rapidly rotate the top and eject it at its muzzle.

The object of the invention is the production of a simple and effective device of this character which will be harmless, easily operated, and can be manufactured at a small cost.

The invention consists of a casing assembled together to similate a pistol, having means at its muzzle to hold a top and means to be forcibly projected in the barrel by a spring when released by a trigger to engage the periphery of the top, giving it a sharp twist and. at the same time eject it from the muzzle.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of my improvement with half of the casing removed in order to more completely disclose the interior construction. In this view is also shown a top in position in the muzzle of the pistol for receiving the spinning and ejecting action and also the top after it has been ejected. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the pistol complete with the top in position, and Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow.

In carrying out my invention I employ two parts 1 and 1, each constituting the longitudinal half of the pistol-casing. These halves are attached together by projections 2, extending from the edges of one half and pass ing into corresponding recesses into the op posed edges of the other half and held from displacement by means of a rivet or screw 3, passing through the pistol-grip. The barrel of the pistol in that half of the casing marked 1 has a slot 4 at one side running its entire length and also a similar slot 6 at the meeting edges of the under side of the barrel extending from the pistol-grip to within a short distance of the muzzle.

Directly opposite the slot 4, at the muzzle end of the pistol, a corresponding slot extends in the half of the casing 1 of a length suflicient to admit the top-disk.

Pivoted on a pin 7, made as an integral part of one half of the casing and near therear end of the slot 6, is a T-shaped trigger 8. The construction of this trigger is best shown in Fig. 1, comprising arms 9 and 10 ateach side of the pivotal connection. The arm 9 is provided with an offset portion 11 at the end of its upper face, which is connected with a spring 12 by means of a guidinglug extending into the spring, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The other end of the'spring is similarly connected to the reduced rear end of a bullet 13.

The under face of the bullet just rear of the arm 14 has an inclined notch 17, forming a shoulder with which a projection at the end of the upper face of the arm 10 is adapted to be engaged, thereby holding the spring 12 in a compressed condition.

For holding the top to the pistol is a slot 18, passing vertically through the center of the muzzle and terminating at its inner end, slightly curved to the opposite side of the barrel from the arm 15.

In using the pistol a top comprising a toothed disk 19, connected. to a pointed spindle 20, passing through its center, is inserted in the slot 18, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the bullet 13 drawn backward by compressing with the finger on the arm 14. This compresses the spring 12, which throws the projection on. the upper face of the arm 10 into engagement with the notch 17 after the rear end of the bullet has ridden over its inclined face. On releasing the bullet by pulling the trigger 8 the spring projects it forward, contacting the wedge end 16 of the arm 15 in the teeth of the disk 19 which gives it a quick twist, turning the top to the right and projecting it from the muzzle of the pistol and spinning it for some time on the pointed end of the spindle. The bullet is limited in its forward movement by the arm 14 striking the end of the slot 6.

I It is evident that the details of construction hereinbefore described may be modified ICC without departing from the spirit of my invention. Thus, for example, in practice the top, which will be made to use with the pistol, may be so constructed when it stops spinning and drops to the floor or whatever it is spinning upon that a numeral or character of some sort will be indicated at the point of contact between the periphery and the surface it rests upon. This adapts it to use in childrens gamessuch, for instance, as pachisi.

It will be understood that while I have shown and described the pistol as applied to the spinning of a top it may be employed to shoot a marble, a pea, or small dice.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In combination, a pistol comprising a casing made in two sections and secured together, a slot passing through the barrel of the pistol at one side thereof, a slot at the opposite side of the barrel extending in the muzzle end of the pistol, a slot through the barrel to within ashort c istance of the muzzle, a vertical slot passing through the muzzle end of the barrel and terminating in a curved portion at one side thereof, a spring-pressed bullet adapted to be projected 1n the barrel, an arm connected to the bullet and passing through the'slot at the under side of the barrel, a secondarm connected to the bullet and passing through the slot at one side of the barrel, a wedged end carried by said. second arm, a T-shaped trigger pivoted in the slot underneath the barrel, a spring connected to one arm of said trigger and to the rear end of the bullet, a notch on the under face of the bullet, and a projection carried by the other arm of the trigger for engaging the notch.

2. The combination of a pistol, a top adapted to be carried at its muzzle, and a spring-pressed bullet in the barrel of the lpassing two subscribin pistol acting, spin the top.

3. The combination of a pistol, a top adapted to be held in a vertical slot in the muzzle end thereof, a spring-pressed bullet in the barrel of the pistol, and a trigger for engaging and releasing the bullet to eject and spin the top.

4. The combination of a pistol, a vertical slot in the muzzle end thereof, a top comprising a toothed disk, a spindle carried in the slot, a bullet in the barrel of the pistol, a spring for projecting the bullet, and means carried by the bullet for engaging the teeth of the top to give it sharp twist and eject it.

5. The combination of a pistol, a vertical slot in the muzzle end thereof, said slot being curved to one side at its rear end, a top having a spindle carried in the slot, aspringpressed bullet in the barrel of the pistol, and means for releasing the bullet to eject and spin the top.

6. The combination of a pistol, a vertical slot in the muzzle end thereof, said slot being curved to one side at its rear end, a top comprising a spindle passing through a toothed disk and adapted to be inserted in the vertical slot of the muzzle, a slot passing through the barrel of the pistol at one side thereof, a second slot passing through the barrel at its under side, a spring-pressed bullet having arms projecting through the slots in the barrel, means carried by one of said arms for engaging the teeth of the top, a trigger pivoted in the slot underneath the barrel, and means carried by the trigger for engaging the bullet.

n testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of witnesses.

J HN WILLIAM ELBRA. Witnesses:

J. T. BALL, P. E. HARRIS.

when released, to eject and 1 

